1st & 2nd Game of Lion Rampant

Lion Rampant

Lion Rampant is the medieval skirmish game, that Dragon Rampant is based on.  As the fantasy version is so much fun we decided to try the original.

Wednesday 27th April Club Night - Scimitar Games Group (Coventry) https://sites.google.com/site/scimitarcovclub/home

Pete D and I tried Lion Rampant, for the first time on Wednesday.  We used Pete's very nice Vikings and Scots.  The Vikings Retinue was a small elite force of 3 units of foot men-at-arms and a unit of archers. Whilst, the Scots had a fast skirmishing force of 2 units of mounted Yeomen with javelins and 5 units of Bidowers.

The first scenario we played was ' The Fugitive',  A Scots noble had escaped from the Vikings and was hiding in some woods, the Scots (Pete) had to find, then escort the noble off the table and the Vikings (Me) had to stop them!  The Scots were lead by a 'Strong' leader who 'Boasted' that "Half of the enemy shall fall to my sword." and the Vikings 'Rash' leader 'Boasted'  "I shall slay your Leader."

The Vikings plan was simple rush to the woods in the middle and then try to hold them (hoping the Scots didn't get lucky and find the Fugitive in the first two woods); whilst the Leader would challenge the Scots Leader to a duel, in order to achieve my "I shall slay your Leader" 'Boast'.

Living up to his name 'Ragnar the Rash', the Viking leader raced ahead to face off against the Scots leader, leaving his Retinue trailing behind; with the challenge issued, 'Duncan the Strong' considered refusing the duel, before boldly accepting and striding out to face the 'Sword Dane!'.  After a brief exchange of blows 'Ragnar the Fool' was on his way to Valhalla!  The Viking's courage was tested with the loss of they leader, but none faltered.

Having failed to kill the Scots leader, the Vikings only chance of stopping the faster and more nimble Scots, was to get to the unsearched woods first. 

Almost there!, as a unit of Viking warriors slowly entered the woods, a unit of Scots Bidowers dashed into the woods and found the hidden 'Fugitive'.  With the Viking warriors crashing through the trees, they charge fell short as the Bidowers peppered them with Javelins as they 'Evaded' with 'The Fugitive'.

Exhausted by the constant shower of javelins and chasing an allusive enemy, the remaining Vikings dragged the body of they fallen leader back to the great hall!

A nice quick eventful game, although I lost by 8 Glory points (5 points for winning the scenario, 2 points for the successful boast for Pete and a total of -1 points for me due to my failed boast!) I think its was a really close game; If Pete had failed his 'Evade' order just after finding 'The Fugitive' I had a good chance of destroying the unit and reclaiming 'The Fugitive'.

After a quick look in the other room; where John was running through the huge D-Day Memoir '44 game, in preparation for running it as a participation game at the UK Games Expo. 

We set up a second game, this time we played 'Meeting the Neighbours' Scenario.  Both forces were returning home after patrolling the borderland and needed to fight through the other force to escape off the far corner.  This time the Scots were lead by 'Malcolm the Braveheart' (me) and 'Sigardson the Strong' (Pete) with the excitement we both forgot to make boasts.

With the objective being to leave the table via the far corner; I decided my best chance was to try the fighting buffalo horn tactic used by the Zulu's. That being, drawing the Vikings into my centre and then slipping around the flanks and attacking from the rear. I was mindful that the 'Evade' order used so well by Pete in the first game would drive me away from the far corner and victory.  Pete's battle plan was to keep his men-at-arms behind the archers, until my force was softened up and then finish me off with the men-at-arms.

'Sigardson' successfully blocked my left flank move with careful positioning of two men-at-arms units.  Whilst his archers attacked my right flank, 'Malcolm' had a tough choice! Change the plan and take out the archers or push on and get round the back with the cavalry.  Sticking to the plan the cavalry pushed on past the archers, alas 'Sigardson' had seen the danger and pulled a unit of men-at-arms back to shut the door! 

The deadly game of Cat and mouse, edged closer to the decisive moment.  The Scots were strongest on they right flank, with two units verse 1 and the Vikings had equal numbers, but better quality on they right! The Viking's archers were too far from either flank to help, so the cunning 'Sigardson' committed his weakened men-at-arms unit on his left in the hope of driving a unit of Scots cavalry into range of the archers.  With the Viking warriors charging, the Scots skirmishing cavalry choose to evade and hoped the javelins would weaken the Vikings enough, to force them to flee.  The Vikings shields proved too strong for the javelins and the evade move left the cavalry in effective range of the archers. Who skillfully dispatched the cavalry and effectively won the game.

Really enjoyed both games, the rules offer a good balance between simplicity and historical flavor with enough chaos to keep it interesting.